


Way Down We Go

by aghostinthecorner



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Drama, F/F, F/M, Fanfiction, Gen, High School, LGBTQ Character of Color, M/M, Multi, Murder Mystery, Original Character(s), Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-14
Updated: 2020-03-14
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:13:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, Underage
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,210
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22925458
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aghostinthecorner/pseuds/aghostinthecorner
Summary: "Just because I'm in handcuffs doesn't mean I didn't find any evidence." Ace swings her legs on to the interrogation table, crossing them. "It means I found enough evidence to not only get me arrested but also hated by the whole police station."WHEN Ace's mother breaks the news to her daughter about moving to her old high school's hometown, she doesn't think much of it. On the first day of being in her new home and town, she starts to see the town for what it is and meets a boy with bright red hair who will lead her down a rabbit hole of secrets and lies.
Relationships: Archie Andrews/Veronica Lodge, Betty Cooper & Jughead Jones, Fred Andrews/Hermione Lodge, Joaquin DeSantos/Kevin Keller





	1. Epigraph

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoy!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy!!!

"There is a place, like no place on earth. A land full of wonder, mystery, and danger! Some say to survive it, you need to be as mad as a hatter. Which luckily, I am."

\- Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland


	2. Prologue: Little Redhead Boy

“Welcome to our new home!” A laugh slips from Ace’s mouth as she watches her mom do a little dance on the white faded porch. Ace closes the passenger's side door as she makes her way up to her mom. She notices how they have two sets of stone stairs, a perfectly mowed lawn, and a two story house.

“This house is like a book or magazine.” Ace glances behind her to see the other houses in the neighborhood.

“Definitely the definition of suburban.” Ace drifts up to her mom who is waiting by the door, keys rustling in her hand.

“Well, finally, my daughter has made it to our beautiful porch,” Her mom pinches her cheek. “Any longer and I was about to call a doctor to see why the sudden change in speed.” Her mother snickers as she turns toward their front door, slipping the keys into the lock. The door clicks at the two women signaling them to enter. As Ace’s mother opens the door, it stops short and reluctant to move.

“What the hell?”Ace’s mother questions the door's sudden stop. Ace’s eyebrow rises as her mother puts her arm through the space of the door and door frame. Her mother gets on her knees still feeling around for the mystery object in question.

“Yes!” Ace’s mother exclaims as her hand lands on a box. She pushes it forward causing the door to open to its full capacity. She brushes her knees off as she stands towards her daughter.

“Are you ready to enter into our new home?” Her mother smiles causing Ace to copy her.

“Yes but on one condition,” Ace moves around her mother and into the house, slipping off her shoes. “Only if I get to enter first!” Ace sticks her tongue out at her mom before running up the stairs. She hears her mother laugh as she reaches the top of the stairs that are filled with boxes.

“It's a box invasion.” Ace mumbles as she steps over varied differing sizes of cardboard. She looks at the three doors lining the hallway. Ace leans her body forward to catch a peak around the corner at the last door at the end.

“So many doors…. Who would use this many rooms if only a single person lived here?” Ace questions as she straightens herself up. She steps over to the room closest to the stairs, opening the door. Ace enters the room to be met with more boxes everywhere.

“Yup this really is a box invasion.” Ace yells causing her voice to carry.  
“If this was a box invasion,” Ace mom intervenes from down stairs. “I think we will be outnumbered but still probably win.” Ace facepalms as she hears her mother’s laughter. She enters while glancing around the medium-large room at her disposal. Ace makes her way to the middle of her room staring out her front window watching a boy with bright red hair run by her house.  
Ace crosses her arms, “I wonder where I should put my bed?” Ace moves over some boxes, heading for the exit. Once outside her room, she closes the door and makes her way to the stairs, she spots a box full of her father’s things. Ace softly smiles at the box before making her way down the carpeted stairs to see what her mom is up too.

“Mama,” Ace calls out as she turns the corner to see an empty living room and, “Another hallway….” Ace glances briefly at it before making her way to the kitchen. She sees her mother come back in from the back yard with yard gloves on and a large round wicker basket in hand.

“You're already working?” Ace rushes to her mother and takes the basket from her hands. Her mother chuckles as she takes off her gloves.

“Yes but only a little bit in the backyard. There were weeds when I went out earlier so I thought I would open the yard tools I got and give a crack at it today.” Ace’s mother moves around the marble island in the middle of the kitchen and goes to wash her hands.

“Well, I could have helped you. I wasn’t going to really look at my room till later. Also the waters working?”

“I know, but” Ace mother shakes her wet hands and wipes them on her jeans. “I don’t want you working until tomorrow or the next day. Just relax. And yes the water is working. I called ahead for a plumber to check and install any missing pips needed. So no need to worry.” Ace’s mother pats her on the cheek with a smile to go with it.

“Anyway, you need to go on an adventure through the town and not worry about the house okay.” Ace looks at her mom as she hands her a satchel and a pair of roller skates.

“But mom-”

“No buts young lady of the moon,” Ace’s mom pushes her towards the front door and grabs her daughter’s shoes, handing them to her. “You need to go make new friends. You're good at that and along with many other things,” Her mother pushes her out the door and stands in front of her confused daughter. “So go adventure and tell me all about it. Okay?”

“...Okay.” Her mother shuts the front door as Ace stares at the front door in total confusion.

“What just ...Did my mom just kick me out of the house?” Ace sits on the first step and slips her shoes on. “I was going to ask if I could go on an adventure in the town but I guess she read my intentions before I could even open my mouth.” Ace finishes tying her shoes, slips the satchel and roller blades over her shoulders, and starts heading down the stairs. When she reaches the end she looks back up at her new home. She glances at the large windows to the left and right of the house. She takes in the white pouch and the stone stairs. She glances over at the large wood entrance to the back yard.

“This is going to be my house now. Permanent and no more moving back and forth until the holidays.” She stares at the house once more before she turns back towards the sidewalk. She begins strolling towards whatever catches her eyes first.

* * *

“That’s one interesting name.” Ace looks up at the diner. “ _Pop’s Chock ‘Lit Shoppe._ ” Ace mumbles as she pulls out a sharpie from her messager’s bag and writes the name of the 50s style diner on her hand. Ace looks through the window and spots a slightly tan boy with a grey beanie and jet black hair with an old laptop seating in front of him. As she stares at him, his dark brown eyes catch her honey brown ones staring at him. They stare at each other for a long time trying to figure the other one out. 

“ _Why is he wearing a beanie in summer? I mean it's the end of May, but still…_ ” Ace thinks as the boy narrows his eyes at her. She breaks the eye contact between the two and goes back to walking forward. As Ace continues walking, she goes over the rail road track and notices how once she crosses over the atmosphere slightly changes. Ace continues her journey and begins to see how most of the structure of the houses and buildings were more grungy and rundown. As she continues to walk deeper into this side of town, she feels people’s eyes linger on her. As if she doesn’t belong in this place.

Ace ignores the stares but gets a feeling that she's being followed by something or someone. She looks behind her to see no one but gets that fight or flight mode kicking back in when she turns back around. As she passes a telephone pole, she hears two motorcycles behind her. Before she could move out the way, the two bikes roar past her but not before one of the people on their motorcycle snatch her roller blades out of her hand.

“Hey come back with my skates!” Ace yells at the two thieves as they start cackling. Before they turn the corner, Ace spots a serpent patch on their leather jackets. She starts to run after the boys in the direction they went in to get her skates back but not after beating one of them first.

Ace finally gets to the place where those serpent thieves might be at.

“The lady said this was the place.” Ace speaks aloud while looking at the place then back at the slip of paper with the address and name of the bar. “The Whyte Wyrm. Was it spelled that way on purpose or did someone run out of letters and this is all they got?” Ace heads towards the stairs, but pauses to go up. 

“I could just forget about and not cause any trouble.” She tugs at her dad’s dog tags she has around her neck. “But what’s the fun in that if I give up now?” Ace stumps up the stairs, puts her hand on the handle of the bar’s door and flings it open. As she walks into the place, the cold air is not the only thing that hits her face on. She continues down the stairs as people's eyes, mostly grown men, linger on her figure. 

“ _I just need to find my skates_.” Ace thinks as she walks deeper into the bar. She looks at the table in the center of the floor and rushes to it. She steps on to the piece of furniture then yells, “Who the fuck stole my roller skates? They are red and gold and if I don’t get them back, I’m throwing hands because they are E for everybody.” Everyone goes silent, starting to mumble among themselves while others start to get up about to accept her challenge of a fight. Ace gets down from the table and starts rolling up her sleeves as she marches up to the men. 

Before anything could happen, a man with raven slick back hair and a beard comes down the stairs, causing everyone's mumbling and movement to stop. Ace also stops to get a glance at this man to see him staring right at her. He walks over to her causing most people to back away and stare at the event about to take place. Ace stands her ground as she keeps eye contact with this raven hair stranger. He gets closer to her and squares her up, looking at her up and down as if she was the bad guy.

“ _He smells of whiskey._ ” Ace thinks as she keeps her eye contact with him. “You want to fight too, old man? You're going to have to wait in line with everyone else?” He glowers at her as she gives him a look over.

“First off, little girl, who the hell do you think you are? Walking in her like you own the place.” Ace bit her tongue to keep herself from punching this grown ass man who just called her ‘little girl’.

“My name is Alice W. H. Long, Ace for short is the hell I am.” She crosses her arms over here chest. “Look, I’m sorry I walked in here and yelled but one of your members stole my skates. And before you ask no I didn’t provoke them nor do I want to. I was just looking around the town is all. I just want my goddamn stakes back or your the first one who get knock to the ground.” Ace glowers back at the older man who glances at the crowd on either side of them both. 

“If that really is true, then who stole your skates, may I ask Ace?” Ace turns to look in the crowd to spot two boys at the bar that look rather similar to the ones from earlier. “The ones at the bar that haven't even gave a glance at this crowded event.” The man turns to where she is looking to see the boys who haven’t made a sound ever since she walked in here.

“Sweet Pea and Fangs come over here.” The older man calls the boys. Ace coughs out a laugh as the boys walk over to the man in charge.

“What's so funny?” The taller boy whose name is Sweet Pea asks Ace. Ace looks at him and laughs a little harder.

“What’s funny is,” Ace bends over before snapping back up to face the three guys in front of her. “Your name is Sweet Pea. Like it sounds like a rejected character from My Little Pony or something.” Ace continues to howl with laughter as Sweet Pea's face gets red and Fangs holds back his own laughter.

“Hey!” The man yells causing Ace to quietly stop her laughter. “Let's get back on topic here. Sweet Pea and Fangs, did you steal her stakes or not?” Both boys look at each other, Ace, and then back to the older man with sickly sweet smiles. 

“Nope, boss.” Shrugs the taller boy. “We didn’t steal her skates.” The taller boy glances at the shorter one who slips his hands in his pockets. 

“We have no idea what she’s talking about. I think she’s delusional ya know.” Both boys shake their heads mocking her slightly.

“See,” the older man nods his head in their direction. “They didn’t steal your roller skates. So why don’t you get-” Ace rushes pass the older man to Sweet Pea and Fangs. She draws back her right fist and punches Sweet Pea in the face, causing him to stagger back and falling over a chair. Fangs swigs his fist back but Ace kicks him in the balls, making him cover his genitals and falls to the ground. Everyone stares in shock as Ace turns back to FP and holds her hand out.

“I would like my skates back,” Ace breathes in. “Please.” She breathes out and before the man could say anything, a brown girl with pink streaks in her hair walks over and drops them in her hand. 

“Here.” The girl smiles, as she turns to the older man. “FP they did in fact steal this girl’s skates. They came in laughing and asked me to hide them for them not thinking the girl,” Pink haired girl turns to scan over Ace. “Would come in and cause a scandal.” FP glances between Ace and the other brown girl before sighing rubbing his temples.

“Thank you for that Toni. Sweet Pea and Fangs meet me in my office immediately and you.” FP sizes up Ace who looks at Toni with a smile before turning her attention to FP. “Get out.” He leans in close to Ace’s face who stays rooted in her spot before turning to Toni and asking her for her number and her Instagram. FP scrunches up his nose at the little attention she gives to him. Toni and Ace smile to each other while waving goodbye as Ace goes back up to FP, patting his cheek. 

“Text you later Toni. And boys,” Ace turns as she begins to ascend the stairs. “Ice those wounds. They will need it.” The boys yell threats at her as he runs up the stairs, out the entrance and towards the diner from earlier, laughing like a mad woman who just outshone a bunch of serpents.

* * *

Ace opens the door to Pop’s Chock’lit Shoppe, getting greeted by a silver bell on the door. An older black man behind the counter smiles up at Ace which she mirrors back. As she walks up to the diner’s counter, she takes a seat at one of the stools. She picks up a menu from the left side of her and begins to scan over it.

“Milkshakes, burgers, and salads. Oh my!” Ace sees all the choices with more choices under it. Ace’s mind goes to cloud nine causing her to not notice the waitress in front of her.

“Honey?” The lady taps the girl on the shoulder.

“Oh yes!” Ace head snaps towards a brunette teenage girl with a pad and pen in hand, wearing a yellow and white waitress outfit with the name ‘Tessa’ written on it.

“Do you want to order right now?” Tessa giggles as Ace sits up straight.

“Um...I...I thi-” Ace stutters at the smiling brunette.

“She’ll take the Pop’s classic with a side of fries and some sweet tea. I’ll take the same thing as well but with a large strawberry milkshake please.” A redheaded boy with a crisp white collar shirt on, slides in next to her with a smile on his face.

“Will that be all?” Asks Tessa scribbling the order on her notepad. 

“Yes it will be.”

“Order coming right up then.” Tessa hustles away to another needy customer before either teen at the counter could say thank you.

Before Ace could get a word out, the red head boy smiles with his left hand on top of his right hand. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt you. You just seem like you need some help picking something so I suggest what's the best thing on the menu, to me anyway.” Ace stares at the ghost pale boy who suggests her a meal and just bursts into a conversation. 

“It's okay, I didn’t know what I was going to pick anyway.” Ace leans her head on her left hand giving all her attention to the redhead. 

“New to town?”

“Yeah I just got in today?”

“What do you think?”

“About the town?

“Yeah?”

“I think…” Ace's attention went to the boy's kind face back to his blue eyes. “This town is nice but it feels as if it’s hiding something. Like no matter where you go in this town, there is trouble, drama, and secrets flowing around. But that could all just be some bullshit or me watching too many teen dramas. It just feels that way.” The boy chuckles before leaning his head in his arms on the counter. “Also I think ordering a strawberry milkshake is the first trouble in this town.”

“I like you. What's your name?” Jason laughs as he holds out his hand which Ace takes with hers. 

“ _ His hands are cold but in a good way. _ ” Ace thought as her hand fully grasps his. “My name is Alice. Alice W. H. Long. You can just call me Ace.”

“And yours?”

“Jason. Jason Blossom.” They shake hands and go back to talking like they've been friends for years.

At that very moment in Ace’s life, her whole world has changed with that one hand shake from a pale redhead boy at the counter who helps her out over food. For her summer and the rest of her years in this town has led her down a rabbit hole of secrets and lies that will be impossible for her to escape.


End file.
